NEA Bridge: You concede one to collect one

Idon't think the state does enough for artists and writers generally in the way of subsidy and tax relief and so on. mean, as an artist and a writer, I have to be surrounded by beautiful things and beautiful people. And beautiful people cost money.

No, I didn't write that — it was the English humorist and playwright Alan Bennett. However, I do agree with the first sentence!

There have been numerous beautiful bridge plays through the years. Many of these — like today's — are simple in essence. If you find the critical defensive play here without peeking at declarer's hand, you can justifiably feel pleased with yourself.

Sitting West, you lead the heart king against four spades. Declarer wins with dummy's ace, plays a spade to his ace and returns a low spade, your partner following with the two and 10. You cash the heart queen and jack, everyone following suit. What would you lead now?

There is a natural inclination to cash the club ace to defeat the game, but that is wrong!

Count South's tricks. He has five spades, one heart and at most two diamonds. That's only eight. You must make sure he doesn't win four diamond tricks or two club tricks. So, you can afford to concede one club trick. The correct defense is to lead a low club at trick six. Whatever the lie of the cards, you must defeat the game.

Note finally that conceding a ruff-andsluff is fatal with this layout. Declarer discards a diamond from the dummy and ruffs in hand. Then one diamond ruff in the dummy establishes the jack.